The Pack Rule Number 1 No Mates

The Pack: Rule Number 1- No Mates

Chapter Seventy-Six

DOMONIC

ONE MONTH LATER

"Brinier's back from his little quest," says Bartlett, "Did he call you?"

1 shake my head, my por falling armed the quiet of the bat. It's wintertime

to slow down around this time, but I can't help but think there's a different feat

It helps with the mending ache in my chest if I block out all memmy of... hangover. I stops the room from spinning out of petrol

I'm sure he would have if he'd found anything" Bartlett say with a shake of his heal

1 place has chimped semely. Sure, its not unusual for things

The altogether pitiful atmosphere. However, I wont think about her. Lefse to

Bartlett has been quietet these days. He wanders this place in a perpetual state of lancholy. It seems, he's missing her the same as the rest of our pick it, like me. I don't miss her. I thirst for her. Teyi waking berwih is a moment of renewed pain. Like a bleeding hole in my chest, I die a little every minute Em awake thless 1 manage to create a distraction for musell. Which bus Loften: Most of the time, I lift weights for hours in what was once the spare bedroom of my house Punishing mywell until my arms are about to crack. I work myself into a straight jacket of pain forcing the thumbhing in my chest mat teeth to blend into the fatigue that meets every mode. And because Im a shifter, it takes a lot of reps. Its the only reping mechanism I've been able to come up with. Éspecially after our initial search didn't yield any results. That was the worst time, I felt like a poddamned cokehead with my nose to shattered glass for the first couple of weeks she was gone. Shilling and scraping for any residual dust that may have been left behind.

A month ago, I would have bet my fangs that Bartlett knew where she went. Or at least, that he was in contact with her. But I've been watching him, Every day and every night. I don't even go to my club anymore. James has been in charge of the plate. During our full moon shift a few days ago, I had hoped to catch a sort following the tracks to the northeast, but nothing. Not a damn thing. Unless you count the appearance of a new den of bear shifters in the Selkirk Mountains, which I don't because-well-they're bears. They mostly keep to themselves. We don't have any stake in the Selkirk Mountains so it don't matter anyway.

• Sometimes, very seldom, La

whatever bullshit to myself to fantasize that she's aching for me as much as I am for her. I pretend that she's looking at the sky above Port Orchard from

T

sin, and sending me kisses so that I know that she still calles. That she still... loves.

But, it's bullshit, because she's still göne.

"I hate her," I lied. Taking a swig from a bottle of Jack. Oh yeah, and that's the other thing I'm also drunk for seventy-five percent of my day.

"You hate her? A familiar voice sounds on my left. "Tm pretty sure it's you, you hate

My eyes wander upward, bearing reluctantly from the bottle on the table in front of me. "Gryffin," I chuckle. Damn it. He looks almost as bollow as I do. He takes a seat in front of me and grabs the bottle, downing half of it in one pull. How the fuck did he get in here without my noticing? I sniff the air lightly. Shit, he's losing his lion. He smell like a fucking human. "I take that to mean that you still haven't shifted."

His eyes darken, banking from gold to raw umber. "Nope."

"Holy shit," I hiss

THE

grits his teeth. "I think you were right about the venom. Taking another drink, hans cross the table. I need to find a mate

Itense. "I guess whatever the good doctor took couldn't be found then?"

He shakes his head. "Not a trace. It's weird really. Because, by the time Tardora waste to get back to the cabin, the damn place had been cleaned out. Nothing was "Who do you think-"

He raises a hand, cutting me off. "A cleaning company that she uses for all the properties was in and out before we could stop them. I know what you were thinking.

1 was hoping for the same thing. But all that she could scent was humans. Plural,"

"Huh," I choke gut. "That's fucked."

"Yeah," he sighs. "But it does make me feel a bit better saving that you're just as miserable."

1/3

Chapter Seventy-Six

1 laugh for the first time

checking for prying eyes? We've been online for weeks. Searching every avenue I can think of in fin

there. Someone else has to be doing the same kind of work"

My bar "Makes sense. Find anything

"Tandora thinks she did." He sighs, Jining back against the seat. "Some place in Vardhaner. She been taking weekly trips up there to check it out."

My hand stills mid reach for the bottle and suddenly I am stone cold be. My arms back and may from the whiskey Tandora, huh? Weekly you may What is

Tout," he say "She just got back again last night."

Ts t

that righ

"Is taking her multiple trips? hint to check out a

Apparently, it's a difficult spot të get to

mewhere in the mountains. She Joan't been able to get close enough yet to see things not properly"

Majhe And

I cench my teeth, my mind suddenly whirling as I remember Deaven's words. Tardor told me. Could they have gotten that close? In one fucking night? Sta you believe that shit? She's a focking lion shitter for crying out loud."

He smiles, reaching for the bottle and downing the rest before laughing to himself. His dark eyes twinkle as he winks my way. "Exactly."

DRAVEN

1 race toward the restroom the moment I get home. The scent of whatever Emily's cooking in the kitchen sending my tummy into spasms. What the fuck? Imping to be sick, I just know it. "Jesus, what are you cooking?" I shout as I tumble to my knees in front of the ivory throne and puke my silly little guts out.

As I retch, I hear her walking up the hallway. "What do you mean? I'm cooking dinner. Catfish,' she says as she rounds the corner and Ends me with the toilet like it's my lost lover.

Catfish? Fucking cash? But I love catfish. At least, I used to. But it seems just the word is enough to send my belly rolling yet again. "Oh my God, I choke out, a fresh wave of nausea causing me to heave. What the fuck?"

Draveti! Shit!" She coos, kneeling down to stroke my back. "Are

you

I shake my head as best as I can, woping my mouth and pressing my head on the cold porcelain of the tub. "I wasn't until I smelled dinner "

She winces. "Do you want me to throw it out?"

"Fuck yes I do," I whisper, abandoning the tub to lie on the floor. The cold tiles feel amazing against my body.

1. y. "1-Im sorr

sorry. But, please throw it out."

She nods frantically, disappearing to chuck our supper.

What the fuck is wrong with me? I used to love fried catfish. In Miami I would eat it at least once a week at a place on Beach Avenue. The smell would be heavy in the air mund the ht establishment and I can thoroughly remember that it did not bother me. Just then, my nose catches on something else that burns my belly. Pe four cleaner. I jerk upright, positioning myself over the toilet again as a concemed Emily strides back into the restponi

"Did you clean the floor here, Emily? To

'Today?"

She talks, looking somewhat taken aback. "Ub - yeah I did. Should I not have?"

I wave an arm at her, indicating that she should shut up as I begin to dry heave. Tud Isap, when the spasms are over. Suddenly I can smell everything in this place. Including her gaudy floral perfume. Obs. What the fuck? "Something's wrong with me. I think I need fresh air," I say, reaching up for her arm. "Help me get

up

But the moment she leans downward I snack her away and hold my breath. Her per i making neti. "Nevermind," I squawk, pushing up from the tub for Support. "Back away from me."

2/3

12:55 Thu. Nov 14

Chapter Seventy-Six

particulier. Right before another

1 post myself onto its fert and lean

of our porch. "Call Alam. Lired him

vand bem munity days it a been. Holy shit. It's been fat weeks.

You probabl

"Emily ways. Trying to

for me past to have

(her and her horrible pumpent

it 1 think I might be pregnant."

Chapter Comments

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Loving this book

Karolina Kowalczyk

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so good until this point. why the werewolf story always get the pregnancy plot just after marking, this story would be equally good without this plot, so...sorry but no need. VIEW ALL 4 COMMENTS

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